For Unions, Democratic Convention Means Business

Many local businesses fear they won't win contracts for the 2012 Democratic National Convention because they can't boast a "union bug," like the small blue oval above, that can be found on some material printed by Consolidated Press.

Tim Mullaney heads Consolidated Press, one of Charlotte's few union print shops. His business has been contracted for several jobs for the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

Julie Rose
/ WFAE

Listen

Listening...

/

Originally published on December 6, 2011 9:26 pm

Organizers of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., face a bit of a conundrum as they try to honor their party's deep ties to organized labor in a state with the lowest percentage of unionized workers in the nation. Local businesses worry they'll be passed over for unionized competitors, which are few and far between in the right-to-work state.

But for the few union shops in Charlotte, times are good — if also a bit awkward. At Consolidated Press, Tim Mullaney is forced to maintain something like a secret identity to keep his business going.

"My dad started it in 1966 and it's my little wagon to drag now," says Mullaney.

The secret side of Mullaney's "little wagon" is that it's a union print shop — the only one in Charlotte, aside from a one-man operation that makes memorabilia for firefighters.

Mullaney's father unionized Consolidated Press in 1968 to get the business of another union in the area. He kept it that way because he says it makes his nine employees happy, and because a bit fewer than half of his customers have union ties. Most of the rest don't even know the business is unionized. It's not something Mullaney advertises.

"You know, we've actually got, and have maintained for years and years, two different scratchpad piles," says Mullaney, "For example, when you go out and see customers."

One pile has the shop's union label; the other doesn't. When in doubt, Mullaney gives customers the one without the label.

No Boasting

Businesses that are unionized know better than to boast their ties to the labor movement in North Carolina.

When Mullaney says, "There's no sense in pouring salt into a wound," he's referring to the fact thatorganized labor isn't exactly well-loved in Charlotte. Economic development officials and elected leaders proudly tout the state's few ties to labor.

Union workers like electrician Tommy Hill are used to getting shushed when promoting labor organizations. "You know, I've been on jobs that you can't wear a T-shirt with union paraphernalia on it, no stickers on your hard hats and that kind of thing," Hill says. "This is an anti-union state."

But union workers in Charlotte now hope the 2012 Democratic National Convention will be their moment in the sun. Their optimism is fueled by public statements from the CEO of the Convention Committee, Steve Kerrigan.

"We hope to maximize our participation in union labor across the board in all the contracts where we can," Kerrigan says. "But we're gonna focus on making sure that local businesses and local employment is a priority as well."

Many firms in Charlotte fear the Democrats will bring union workers from other states to staff the convention. Most of the contracts have yet to be awarded, but Consolidated Press is already cashing in.

Spreading The 'Union Bug'

Local officials knocked on Mullaney's door even before Charlotte won the convention bid because he could put something on the city's bid documents no other local printer could: a "union bug."

A union bug is a small insigne that certifies the document was printed by union labor.

"You know if you had a little imagination and you put a couple of legs on the left and right of it, it could kinda look like a bug," Mullaney says. "If you don't know what it is, you wouldn't really realize it was there."

But to unions — and to Democrats who rely heavily on them for campaign support — the union bug is a must for official documents. It's kind of a secret code, one that's so important that the National Convention Committee says all 20,000 welcome packets for delegates, 10,000 media guides and every convention sign posted around Charlotte mustbe done by a union print shop. Which bodes very well for Consolidated Press.

"The week of the convention, we'll be here 24 hours a day," says Mullaney. "I'm pretty much sure of it, that entire week, we'll be wide open."

Mullaney hasn't won all of the Democratic convention's printing business yet, but for once, his union status isn't something he feels the need to downplay.

We're going to look down the road now to the Democratic National Convention, to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina next year. The party's ties to organized labor run deep, but unions are scarce in Charlotte. Local businesses worry that they won't get convention work because they're not union. Convention organizers say the contracts won't go exclusively to union labor, but one thing is for sure: It's a good time to be a union shop in Charlotte.

From member station WFAE, Julie Rose reports.

(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINERY)

JULIE ROSE, BYLINE: This is just not a guy who seems like he'd have a secret identity.

ROSE: The secret side of Mullaney's little wagon is that it's a union print shop - the only one in Charlotte, aside from a one-man operation that makes memorabilia for firefighters. Mullaney's dad unionized the place in 1968 to get the business of another union in town. Mullaney kept it that way because he says it makes his nine employees happy and because a little less than half of his customers have union ties. Most of the rest don't even know he's union. It's not something he advertises.

MULLANEY: You know, we've actually got - and have maintained for years and years - two different scratchpad piles, for example. When you go out and see customers...

ROSE: Can we have a look?

One pile has the shop's union label, the other doesn't. When in doubt, Mullaney gives customers the one without.

MULLANEY: There's no sense in pouring salt into a wound.

ROSE: See, organized labor isn't well-loved in Charlotte. North Carolina has the lowest percentage of unionized workers of any state. Economic development officials and elected leaders here proudly tout that.

Union workers like electrician Tommy Hill are used to getting shushed.

TOMMY HILL: You know, I've been on jobs that you can't wear a T-shirt with union paraphernalia on it, no stickers on your hard hats, that kind of thing. For years, you know, this is an anti-union state.

ROSE: And now union workers in Charlotte hope the 2012 Democratic National Convention will be their moment in the sun. Their optimism is fueled by public statements from the CEO of the convention committee, Steve Kerrigan.

STEVE KERRIGAN: We hope to maximize our participation in union labor across the board in all the contracts where we can. But we're going to focus on making sure that local businesses and local employment is a priority, as well.

ROSE: Many firms in Charlotte fear the Democrats will bring union workers from other states to staff the convention. Most of the contracts have yet to be awarded, but Consolidated Press is already cashing in.

(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINERY)

ROSE: Even before Charlotte won the convention bid, local officials knocked on Tim Mullaney's door. Why? Well, he could put something on the city's bid documents no other local printer could.

MULLANEY: Yeah, a union bug.

ROSE: A union bug is a small insignia that certifies the document was printed by union labor.

MULLANEY: You know, if you had a little imagination and you put a couple of legs on the left and right of it, it could kind of look like a bug. If you don't know what it is, you wouldn't really realize it was there.

ROSE: But to unions - and to Democrats who rely heavily on them for campaign support - the union bug is a must for official documents. It's kind of a secret code. And it's so important, the national convention committee says all 20,000 welcome packets for delegates, 10,000 media guides, and every convention sign posted around town must be done by a union print shop, period. Which bodes very well for Consolidated Press.

MULLANEY: The week of the convention, we'll be here 24 hours a day. I'm pretty much sure of it. That entire week, we'll be wide open.

ROSE: Mullaney hasn't won all of the Democratic convention's printing business yet. But for once, his union status isn't something he feels the need to downplay.